horses, horses, horses

     Our eldest just started taking lessons at Athelas Therapeutic Riding Stable.  He had his first session yesterday and loved it.  He was up on the horse right away.  Apparently he helped lead another horse out to the pasture after his lesson was over.  I will have pictures next week, as my husband took shots on his cell. phone and I have no idea how to transfer them.
     We are really hoping this will help him with self-confidence as well as poise and a calmer demeanor.  Keep your fingers crossed!

12 and a half/gardens and costumes

     My daughter was born in October- due to one thing and another - a show, then two holidays, a family  member's passing and another show - we never had a birthday party for her.  So last night we had one - it was to celebrate being 12 1/2.  I love junior high school kids.  They are so serious and then so silly.  Set on the edge of their teen years, they want to appear grown up, but last night, with just the 5 of them, they were swinging on the swing set, playing dress up and enjoying still being kids.
    This had to be one of the easiest parties we've done.  We had food on the grill, a fire in the fire pit, s'mores and glow sticks in the tent.  What more do you need?  Oh, yes, and a cake.  We have always got to have a cake - duly decorated cake.  So I spent a couple hours making pretzel and icing pine trees, a tent from icing and chocolate bars,  as well as an icing fire and a sleeping girl in a sleeping bag. I think they likes the chocolate rocks best (these I purchased already made).  Unfortunately, by the time we got to cake, the girls had so stuffed themselves on s'mores they had no desire for more sweets.  So, as any good mother would, I said we could have it at breakfast - which we did! Yum!!

Can you see the camper's head sticking out of the tent?  If scaled up, this campfire is made from tree trunks!!  And as my husband pointed out, I made a big error by leaving grass inside the fire circle! 

 I wish I had thought to wash the sugar granules off of the licorice bulrushes, but, maybe next time. 

By the way, having them in the tent was great - the girls were up until 5 a.m. and we never heard a thing!  There  is something to be said for warm weather parties! 

   I am really risking things here, but the weather forecast is good - supposed to be in the 70s and 80s all week, with 50s at night, so I am actually going to plant half of the seedlings that are growing on the top of the dryer. (I am too cheap for a heating mat, so I use the dryer top instead - it works fine!)  The tomatoes and the cukes as well as the tomatillos are hitting the garden today.  Keep your fingers crossed!

    The current show I am designing costumes for is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) which is all about quick changes.  Reminds me a lot of The Mystery of Irma Vep, the quick change insanity of last season, but just because of the need for velcro!  First fittings are on Wed, so I am trying to get everything as close to done as I can so the guys can start working with the pieces and getting used to the changes, ASAP. Wigs and such are my biggest challenge.
  
     Out to the garden, then back to the sewing machine.  Happy spring!
 

Goodbye Seniors, and best of luck!

   Today we had a little lunch get together with our graduating seniors and the faculty who could make it.  Nothing fancy - burgers, dogs, salads - and a lot of sunshine.  Gorgeous day - low 80s and sunny!! We found out that the terraced patio behind our house works better for evening gatherings in warm weather. the only shade we had was from the patio umbrella and the house, and so we all crunched together to stay cool.
    It was nice to see the students all together - we so often see them only one or two at a time, either in classes or the hallway.  I do not often get sentimental about graduates - well not too often - but this was a very special group of seniors.  I really wish them well.

Check one off the bucket list

      Trying to actually start doing things I want to do...within reason and my budget.  The area's adult education flier came a few months ago and I found a stained glass class which actually fit my schedule. (This is not easy!).  So for three Saturdays, for three hours each, I learned to created stained glass, and built a sun catcher.  Is it high art? No, but I am pleased with the end results, and my youngest son covets it for his room, so I must have done something right!  

   The teacher was very helpful - even though, when she showed us the project options, I took the hardest one!  I just couldn't see me really being happy making a flower.  I will say, this was a challenge for the first  time trying this.  All the curves were time consuming, and the orange frill/mane part was so small I kept snapping it.  Very frustrating!  I love the fluidity of colour in the glass.  Look at the close up and you can see the placement of one swirl made a nostril for the dragon! 

    Finished grading my finals and I am done with school for another summer.  We had first read for my first show of the season, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). It is very funny, but the costumes are going to be a lot of very fast changes. A challenge.  My dear hubby is acting in it, so at least we get to see each other during dress rehearsals and such. 

    Off to clean - we are having all the faculty and graduating seniors from our dept. over for lunch tomorrow.  Also must go watch my daughter's track meet. 

Bye

    

  

End of the school year procrastination

    We graduate our seniors on May 22.  Finals start tomorrow.  I have first read for my next show, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged, on Monday.  I have a dozen or so papers still to grade from my class of 68 students, and I have make up projects to grade.  It is rainy, so there is no excuse to go outside and work in the garden or watch the bees, or even mow the lawn.  I should buckle down and finish all I need to do.  Unfortunately, all I want to do is curl up on a comfy couch and knit, take a break and read a little, then go back to knitting.
     My eldest son had HS freshman orientation last night.  My husband took him and they got as far as the front door of the HS before the panic hit and our son ran over to the track.  It took my dear husband nearly half an hour to convince him to leave there.  Needless to say, they did not make it to orientation.  My son's autism often manifests itself as social anxiety disorder.  Not unusual, but it makes life very tricky. 

bits and pieces

     I have no idea what we are going to eat for dinner.  It is my least favorite meal to cook and the most persistent one.   My family pretty much fends for themselves for breakfast - with some nudging.  Lunch is either packed or grabbed haphazardly.  Dinner - whether we are all home or not, I prefer to have it eaten at the table or on special occasions at a folding table.  (Special occasions include watching the World Series or the Wizard of Oz on television.) I will happily bake for you all day.  I can whip up a dessert with ease and enjoyment - just don't ask me "what's for dinner?" because I probably won't have an answer. 

     Today, lunch was taken care of for me when my husband and I attended a faculty convivium luncheon at the college.  The presenter spoke about John Burroughs and his contributions to Nature writing and it was wonderful. This guy knew everyone - John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Henry Ford - the list goes on.  I am now feeling a need to hit the library to read his books. Good food, good topics, and lunch with colleagues.

     Below is the graphic for a live chat with a colleague who has written her second book.  Have not had time to read it, but she is a witty person, so I can only imagine the online chat will be entertaining.  If you get a chance to buy her book, please do, as she has two children who will someday want to go to college, and tuition is expensive!

     That's it - nothing more exciting to add. I have 68 papers and 68 quizzes to grade so I cannot hang out here too long.  have a great evening!

Warmth

    This weekend was warm and sunny, meaning I was able to get busy  with the outdoor chores.  At Last!  My yard looked like Atilla and all his Huns had galloped across it!  The neighbors were working on their second or third mowing of the season - our yard was long and lush with dandelions! (Of course, I let the dandelions flourish since they are a great pollen source for the bees and occasionally a good food or wine source for us.) I am not making dandelion wine this year - we still have some from last season and it is quite time intensive.
    This morning we ripped out feral raspberries, attacked our carpet junipers with  loppers, and trained the hops up the trellis.  I planted the hops last year, but they did poorly - too much rain, planted too late, etc.  This season they have started to take off.  I do not like beer.  However, my husband and our neighbor talked about planting hops to grow up the chain link fence between our houses in order to brew their own beer.  I heard this, did some quick research and  learned that planting them on a chain link fence is not a good idea since untangling them at the end of the season will be a MAJOR headache.  So, I ordered the rhizomes - three different types, Nugget, Cascade, and something that starts with a "T" - tetanger or something like that (I have to go out and look at my tag!), my husband built a trellis which we string with cording, and this year the boys may get their crop.  It will be interesting to see if this actually yields beer or just big vines for the bees to pollinate.
    I spent about an hour and a half out with the bees yesterday.  The hive needed cleaning - the girls had built up a lot of  burr comb and a bit of propolis this winter/early spring, so all of that needed scraping.  The girls were not happy about me switching the top and bottom halves of the hive- very disruptive.  I actually thought that yesterday might be the day for my first sting, but sweet things that they are, the girls just buzzed a lot and flew around my net.  They were very interested in climbing up my pants legs, and exploring my hands.
    Yesterday morning was fun - I attended the first lesson of a stained glass class.  When I was in school in England, there was a stained glass class offered, and I did not take it.  I was a theatre and an English major and was not going to waste my time in Oxford with frivolous classes like stained glass.  I took Shakespeare, Old English Poetry, Old English Prose and similar type classes.  So now, many years later, I have started the great stained glass journey so long put off!
     Planted apple trees last week, and the deer have already nibbled the tops.  sigh...I used to like deer - lately I am thinking of them in terms of large vermin. Over the winter they ate our rhododendrons down to twigs!  Around here, they have no fear.
      Made a failure of a strawberry rhubarb pie last night - WAY too wet, so it was strawberry rhubarb slop. If anyone has a good recipe, please pass it along. Pie flops make me sad.